Task force to help province spend $3 billion in carbon tax

The province has set up a task force to see how money from the carbon tax should be spent, to help achieve Alberta’s climate change goals.

Economic Development and Trade minister Deron Bilous says the task force will travel to Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, and Grande Prairie to talk with experts in innovation and research. “The task force is going to be meeting throughout the month of October in those cities I listed. They will be reporting back to me in November. We will be looking at their report and feedback as we are looking at how we want to allocate dollars from the carbon levy.”

The new tax, which starts in January 2017, is expected to bring in three bill dollars next year.

Chair of the task force Gord Lambert says, “I look forward to bringing together world class input through engaging with research and innovation leaders and to discuss how we can focus our investments to meet the province’s climate change aspirations.” (eb)